Barbra Fuller, who starred as the daughter Claudia on the long-running radio soap opera One Man’s Family, all while appearing in films for Republic Pictures and such TV shows as Adventures of Superman, has died. She was 102.
Fuller, who lived in the Los Angeles area, died Wednesday, her godson J.P. Sloane announced.
On the San Francisco-set One Man’s Family, created by Carlton E. Morse, Fuller played one of the Barbour family’s five kids from 1945 until the NBC Radio drama completed its 27-year run in 1959. Her character, a twin with kids of her own, was gone from the program for a couple of years before she came aboard.
“It was a fun part. Claudia was a good girl with interesting qualities,” she said in Michael G. Fitzgerald and Boyd Magers’ 2006 book, Ladies of the Western.
In 1949, Fuller signed with Republic and was under contract with the B-picture studio for a year,...
Fuller, who lived in the Los Angeles area, died Wednesday, her godson J.P. Sloane announced.
On the San Francisco-set One Man’s Family, created by Carlton E. Morse, Fuller played one of the Barbour family’s five kids from 1945 until the NBC Radio drama completed its 27-year run in 1959. Her character, a twin with kids of her own, was gone from the program for a couple of years before she came aboard.
“It was a fun part. Claudia was a good girl with interesting qualities,” she said in Michael G. Fitzgerald and Boyd Magers’ 2006 book, Ladies of the Western.
In 1949, Fuller signed with Republic and was under contract with the B-picture studio for a year,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Anne Whitfield, who appeared in the beloved holiday classic White Christmas and on dozens of TV shows, from Father Knows Best, 77 Sunset Strip and Perry Mason to That Girl, Ironside and Emergency!, has died. She was 85.
Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.
“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.
Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...
Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.
“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.
Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...
- 2/29/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There have been movies based on TV shows almost as long as there have been TV shows. Even in the 1950s, the first decades where large numbers of Americans owned a TV set, hit crime series like "Dragnet" and "The Lineup" made their way to theaters, alongside hit comedies like "Our Miss Brooks." Even TV movies got the fancy big-screen remake treatment, with the 1953 teleplay "Marty" not only getting a feature-length movie adaptation two years later, but also winning the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor, and the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
While some TV shows, even those popular enough to get their own movie, wind up forgotten, the big ones usually stick around in the public consciousness. Rod Serling's award-winning anthology series "The Twilight Zone" wasn't just a hit, it became something of an institution. It was an instantly recognizable brand, with...
While some TV shows, even those popular enough to get their own movie, wind up forgotten, the big ones usually stick around in the public consciousness. Rod Serling's award-winning anthology series "The Twilight Zone" wasn't just a hit, it became something of an institution. It was an instantly recognizable brand, with...
- 11/11/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
The TV studio Desilu was founded in 1950 by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, which you can probably tell by the name. The famous performing couple initially pitched a TV adaptation of the marriage-based radio sitcom "My Favorite Husband" to the execs at CBS, but that show eventually mutated into "I Love Lucy," more explicitly sold as a vehicle for Ball. To this day, "I Love Lucy" remains one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, and every modern comedy show contains traces of its DNA. The series ran for 180 episodes over six seasons, ending its run in 1957. Lucy and Desi divorced a few years later, and Ball became the sole owner of Desilu.
Desilu oversaw a wide spectrum of shows, from sitcoms like "Our Miss Brooks" and variety shows like "Shower of Stars," but also Westerns like "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" and adventure programs like "Whirlybirds.
Desilu oversaw a wide spectrum of shows, from sitcoms like "Our Miss Brooks" and variety shows like "Shower of Stars," but also Westerns like "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" and adventure programs like "Whirlybirds.
- 8/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
So, what do the 4th Primetime Emmy Awards, which took place Feb. 18, 1952, have in common with the 2022 edition?
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
The stars of the No. 1 TV series, CBS’ “I Love Lucy,” were the hosts of the Emmy ceremony, which was telecast in Los Angeles on Kcea, now known as Kabc. And it was the first time that the Emmys embraced national television networks. Previously, nominations and awards were bestowed on projects that were produced or aired in Los Angeles.
This year, Amy Poehler’s valentine of a film, “Lucy and Desi,” not only received strong reviews but six Emmy nominations including Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special and directing for Poehler. The Amazon Prime doc won two: writer Mark Monroe and composer David Schwartz.
Traveling back to the 1952, the ceremony took places at venerable nightclub, the Cocoanut Grove. It must have been a short show because only seven awards were handed out.
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
The stars of the No. 1 TV series, CBS’ “I Love Lucy,” were the hosts of the Emmy ceremony, which was telecast in Los Angeles on Kcea, now known as Kabc. And it was the first time that the Emmys embraced national television networks. Previously, nominations and awards were bestowed on projects that were produced or aired in Los Angeles.
This year, Amy Poehler’s valentine of a film, “Lucy and Desi,” not only received strong reviews but six Emmy nominations including Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special and directing for Poehler. The Amazon Prime doc won two: writer Mark Monroe and composer David Schwartz.
Traveling back to the 1952, the ceremony took places at venerable nightclub, the Cocoanut Grove. It must have been a short show because only seven awards were handed out.
- 9/7/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
In 1954, Eve Arden made history as the first woman to win a lead acting Emmy for a specific comedy series. She achieved the honor for playing the titular character on “Our Miss Brooks,” who made her living as a high school teacher. While more than a quarter of all Best Comedy Actress-winning characters have been housewives, teaching has proven to be the category’s second most favorable occupation. After Arden, Bea Arthur (“The Golden Girls”) and Melissa McCarthy (“Mike & Molly”) took the 1988 and 2011 prizes, respectively, for portraying educators. Now, “Abbott Elementary” star and first-time Emmy nominee Quinta Brunson has a shot at becoming the fourth member of this group.
Brunson, who also created “Abbott Elementary,” entered the pilot, which aired on ABC in December, as her episode submission. The installment introduces her character, Philadelphia public school teacher Janine Teagues, an optimistic, conscientious molder of second grade minds. A scant budget...
Brunson, who also created “Abbott Elementary,” entered the pilot, which aired on ABC in December, as her episode submission. The installment introduces her character, Philadelphia public school teacher Janine Teagues, an optimistic, conscientious molder of second grade minds. A scant budget...
- 8/24/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Before she began her five-season tenure as the star of “That Girl” in 1965, 27-year-old Marlo Thomas (daughter of small screen legend Danny Thomas) had appeared on more than a dozen TV programs. She ultimately earned four Best Comedy Actress Emmy nominations for the ABC sitcom and thus became the fifth woman to amass as many bids in the category for a single series, after Gracie Allen (“The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show”), Lucille Ball (“I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show”), Donna Reed (“The Donna Reed Show”), and Elizabeth Montgomery (“Bewitched”).
At the time of her first nomination in 1967, Thomas was the third youngest female comedy lead contender ever. Each of her four eventual losses in the category was to an actress at least three years her senior. Over the course of nearly six decades, she has fallen to 10th place on the list of youngest nominees, with two...
At the time of her first nomination in 1967, Thomas was the third youngest female comedy lead contender ever. Each of her four eventual losses in the category was to an actress at least three years her senior. Over the course of nearly six decades, she has fallen to 10th place on the list of youngest nominees, with two...
- 8/23/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Before she began her five-season tenure as the star of “That Girl” in 1965, 27-year-old Marlo Thomas (daughter of small screen legend Danny Thomas) had appeared on more than a dozen TV programs. She ultimately earned four Best Comedy Actress Emmy nominations for the ABC sitcom and thus became the fifth woman to amass as many bids in the category for a single series, after Gracie Allen (“The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show”), Lucille Ball (“I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show”), Donna Reed (“The Donna Reed Show”), and Elizabeth Montgomery (“Bewitched”).
At the time of her first nomination in 1967, Thomas was the third youngest female comedy lead contender ever. Each of her four eventual losses in the category was to an actress at least three years her senior. Over the course of nearly six decades, she has fallen to 10th place on the list of youngest nominees, with two...
At the time of her first nomination in 1967, Thomas was the third youngest female comedy lead contender ever. Each of her four eventual losses in the category was to an actress at least three years her senior. Over the course of nearly six decades, she has fallen to 10th place on the list of youngest nominees, with two...
- 8/23/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
When Shirley Booth (54) won the 1953 Best Actress Oscar for her screen debut in “Come Back, Little Sheba,” she became one of the 12 oldest champs in any acting category and the second oldest in hers after Marie Dressler. In 1962, she made history as the oldest winner of the Best Comedy Actress Emmy for her role on “Hazel” and further solidified that position when she triumphed again one year later. She starred as the titular housemaid for a total of five seasons and received a third bid in 1964 at age 65.
Booth’s final nomination for “Hazel” made her the second oldest nominee in her category up to that point, and she would continue to rank within the top five for over two decades. She now sits at 10th place, with four women over 65 having added their names to the list in the last five years.
The television academy has recognized the work...
Booth’s final nomination for “Hazel” made her the second oldest nominee in her category up to that point, and she would continue to rank within the top five for over two decades. She now sits at 10th place, with four women over 65 having added their names to the list in the last five years.
The television academy has recognized the work...
- 8/21/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
When Shirley Booth (54) won the 1953 Best Actress Oscar for her screen debut in “Come Back, Little Sheba,” she became one of the 12 oldest champs in any acting category and the second oldest in hers after Marie Dressler. In 1962, she made history as the oldest winner of the Best Comedy Actress Emmy for her role on “Hazel” and further solidified that position when she triumphed again one year later. She starred as the titular housemaid for a total of five seasons and received a third bid in 1964 at age 65.
Booth’s final nomination for “Hazel” made her the second oldest nominee in her category up to that point, and she would continue to rank within the top five for over two decades. She now sits at 10th place, with four women over 65 having added their names to the list in the last five years.
The television academy has recognized the work...
Booth’s final nomination for “Hazel” made her the second oldest nominee in her category up to that point, and she would continue to rank within the top five for over two decades. She now sits at 10th place, with four women over 65 having added their names to the list in the last five years.
The television academy has recognized the work...
- 8/21/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Throughout the 1960s, several theatrical films from two decades prior were reworked into television series, the majority of which lasted a maximum of two seasons. One of these cases involved the 1947 fantasy film “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir,” starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. The TV adaptation, which debuted in 1968 with Hope Lange and Edward Mulhare in the lead roles, did not fare particularly well and was cancelled by NBC after a single season. It was immediately picked up by ABC, but its tenure there was just as short.
The show did manage to garner six Emmy nominations during its short run, including one for Best Comedy Series. Lange also picked up a pair of Best Comedy Actress trophies, making her the second youngest champion in her category at the time. Over half a century later, she places behind a total of nine younger women, including three who triumphed in their 20s.
The show did manage to garner six Emmy nominations during its short run, including one for Best Comedy Series. Lange also picked up a pair of Best Comedy Actress trophies, making her the second youngest champion in her category at the time. Over half a century later, she places behind a total of nine younger women, including three who triumphed in their 20s.
- 7/21/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Like everyone else, we love Lucy and celebrate the anniversary of Lucille Ball‘s landmark laffer “I Love Lucy,” which debuted on CBS exactly 70 years ago today on Oct. 15, 1951. The show won the Emmy for Best Situation Comedy twice and Ball claimed two trophies as well.
Ball went on to win two more Emmys for the last two seasons of her second series, “The Lucy Show”. In 1967, she edged out “Bewitched” stars Elizabeth Montgomery and Agnes Moorehead and “That Girl’s” Marlo Thomas. By the way, Montgomery never won an Emmy, despite nine nods, including five for her work as that witch with a twitch. The following year, in what was to be her final Emmy race, Ball prevailed yet again. Her competition: Montgomery and Thomas, as well as Barbara Feldon (“Get Smart”) and Paula Prentiss (“He and She”).
Watch that moment from the 1967 Emmycast when Ball wins. As her...
Ball went on to win two more Emmys for the last two seasons of her second series, “The Lucy Show”. In 1967, she edged out “Bewitched” stars Elizabeth Montgomery and Agnes Moorehead and “That Girl’s” Marlo Thomas. By the way, Montgomery never won an Emmy, despite nine nods, including five for her work as that witch with a twitch. The following year, in what was to be her final Emmy race, Ball prevailed yet again. Her competition: Montgomery and Thomas, as well as Barbara Feldon (“Get Smart”) and Paula Prentiss (“He and She”).
Watch that moment from the 1967 Emmycast when Ball wins. As her...
- 10/15/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Lucille Desiree Ball
Born: Aug. 6, 1911 in Celeron, N.Y.
Died: April 26, 1989 in Los Angeles
Best known for: CBS comedy series “I Love Lucy” (1951-1957), “The Lucy Show” (1962-68), “Here’s Lucy” (1968-74). As Variety‘s Tom Gilbert observed after her death, “Ball’s elastic facial expressions and precise comic timing catapulted her into an American institution.”
Autobiography: “Love, Lucy,” published posthumously in 1996, from a memoir Ball wrote in the mid-1960s.
Awards: Emmy wins for lead comedy actress in 1953, 1956, 1967 and 1968. Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.‘s Cecil B. DeMille Award, 1979. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Governors Award, 1989
Behind the scenes impact: With her husband and “I Love Lucy” co-star Desi Arnaz, Ball was a TV pioneer who etched an enduring template for TV sitcoms shot on film, which ignited the syndication marketplace for TV. Known for her signature flame-red hair color, Ball was also the first woman to head a major TV studio,...
Born: Aug. 6, 1911 in Celeron, N.Y.
Died: April 26, 1989 in Los Angeles
Best known for: CBS comedy series “I Love Lucy” (1951-1957), “The Lucy Show” (1962-68), “Here’s Lucy” (1968-74). As Variety‘s Tom Gilbert observed after her death, “Ball’s elastic facial expressions and precise comic timing catapulted her into an American institution.”
Autobiography: “Love, Lucy,” published posthumously in 1996, from a memoir Ball wrote in the mid-1960s.
Awards: Emmy wins for lead comedy actress in 1953, 1956, 1967 and 1968. Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.‘s Cecil B. DeMille Award, 1979. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Governors Award, 1989
Behind the scenes impact: With her husband and “I Love Lucy” co-star Desi Arnaz, Ball was a TV pioneer who etched an enduring template for TV sitcoms shot on film, which ignited the syndication marketplace for TV. Known for her signature flame-red hair color, Ball was also the first woman to head a major TV studio,...
- 8/6/2020
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Emmy’s comedy series category finally breaks a gender barrier with a record 5 female-driven nominees
Who says women aren’t funny? Certainly not those voters who picked the nominees for the 71st Primetime Emmys. They probably don’t even know it. But history has been made.
The first time that female-fronted shows dominated the comedy series category was in 1955, when “I Love Lucy,” “Our Miss Brooks” and “Private Secretary” made the cut.
See 2019 Emmy nominations complete list: All the nominees for the 71st Emmy Awards
The next time lady-led shows were the majority occurred in 1989, 1990 and 1991. That was when CBS’ “Designing Women” and “Murphy Brown” (which won twice) as well as NBC’s “The Golden Girls” brought some gender parity to TV’s funny business. It took until 2018 to repeat such a trifecta in the form of Amazon Prime’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which won the trophy, plus Netflix’s “Glow” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
SEEJulie-Louis Dreyfuss could win most solo Emmy wins with...
The first time that female-fronted shows dominated the comedy series category was in 1955, when “I Love Lucy,” “Our Miss Brooks” and “Private Secretary” made the cut.
See 2019 Emmy nominations complete list: All the nominees for the 71st Emmy Awards
The next time lady-led shows were the majority occurred in 1989, 1990 and 1991. That was when CBS’ “Designing Women” and “Murphy Brown” (which won twice) as well as NBC’s “The Golden Girls” brought some gender parity to TV’s funny business. It took until 2018 to repeat such a trifecta in the form of Amazon Prime’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which won the trophy, plus Netflix’s “Glow” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
SEEJulie-Louis Dreyfuss could win most solo Emmy wins with...
- 7/17/2019
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
The recent box office success of The Boss firmly establishes Melissa McCarthy as the current queen of movie comedies (Amy Schumer could be a new contender after an impressive debut last Summer with Trainwreck), but let us think back about those other funny ladies of filmdom. So while we’re enjoying the female reboot/re-imagining of Ghostbusters and those Bad Moms, here’s a top ten list that will hopefully inspire lots of laughter and cause you to search out some classic comedies. It’s tough to narrow them down to ten, but we’ll do our best, beginning with… 10. Eve Arden The droll Ms. Arden represents the comic sidekicks who will attempt to puncture the pomposity of the leading ladies with a well-placed wisecrack (see also the great Thelma Ritter in Rear Window). Her career began in the early 1930’s with great bit roles in Stage Door and Dancing Lady.
- 8/8/2016
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Wasteland:
Television is a gold goose that lays scrambled eggs;
and it is futile and probably fatal to beat it for not laying caviar.
Lee Loevinger
When people argue over the quality of television programming, both sides — it’s addictive crap v. underappreciated populist art — seem to forget one of the essentials about commercial TV. By definition, it is not a public service. It is not commercial TV’s job to enlighten, inform, educate, elevate, inspire, or offer insight. Frankly, it’s not even commercial TV’s job to entertain. Bottom line: its purpose is simply to deliver as many sets of eyes to advertisers as possible. As it happens, it tends to do this by offering various forms of entertainment, and occasionally by offering content that does enlighten, inform, etc., but a cynic would make the point that if TV could do the same job televising fish aimlessly swimming around an aquarium,...
Television is a gold goose that lays scrambled eggs;
and it is futile and probably fatal to beat it for not laying caviar.
Lee Loevinger
When people argue over the quality of television programming, both sides — it’s addictive crap v. underappreciated populist art — seem to forget one of the essentials about commercial TV. By definition, it is not a public service. It is not commercial TV’s job to enlighten, inform, educate, elevate, inspire, or offer insight. Frankly, it’s not even commercial TV’s job to entertain. Bottom line: its purpose is simply to deliver as many sets of eyes to advertisers as possible. As it happens, it tends to do this by offering various forms of entertainment, and occasionally by offering content that does enlighten, inform, etc., but a cynic would make the point that if TV could do the same job televising fish aimlessly swimming around an aquarium,...
- 7/22/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
A few weeks ago, Wamg attended a special press conference for Disney•Pixar’s frighteningly fun “Monsters Univerity,” featuring Billy Crystal and John Goodman. The pair have an incredible chemistry, and were quick on their feet as press members asked them questions about their Mu days. Check it out below!
Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (Mu). But during his first semester at Mu, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters,...
Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (Mu). But during his first semester at Mu, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters,...
- 6/20/2013
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Last week my colleague Ms. Thomases and I were sharing a movie experience at a Manhattan multi-mega-complex. Running the gauntlet of promotional material we passed the familiar poster advertising the franchise-saving event, Man of Steel. Once we were settled in the theater and the obnoxiously repulsive commercials started playing – most were for television shows – I mentioned to Martha that the new management of Warner Bros. hasn’t truly green-lit the Justice League movie. “They’re waiting to see how Man of Steel works out.”
Her Oh-Oh Sense flared up. While both of us were hoping for a killer Superman flick, nothing we have seen thus far has promoted any sense of confidence. Do we need another origin story filled with the Els and the Kents? Most of us have cable teevee or DVDs or streaming video or all three, and there’s plenty of filmed presentations of that origin story.
Her Oh-Oh Sense flared up. While both of us were hoping for a killer Superman flick, nothing we have seen thus far has promoted any sense of confidence. Do we need another origin story filled with the Els and the Kents? Most of us have cable teevee or DVDs or streaming video or all three, and there’s plenty of filmed presentations of that origin story.
- 2/6/2013
- by Mike Gold
- Comicmix.com
Dann Cahn, a pioneer of the three-camera method of filming and editing TV sitcoms, has died. Cahn also was the last surviving member of the original creative team behind the landmark series I Love Lucy. He was 89 and died Wednesday of natural causes at his home in west Los Angeles. Cahn worked on Lucy‘s entire six-season run from 1951 to 1957. Unlike series that preceded it, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s show used three motion picture cameras instead of one. The multicamera technique allowed for a show to be filmed continuously and in sequence, like a stage play. The amount of footage overwhelmed editors at the time, according to the La Times, and they located a cutting-edge device that had been created for the quiz show Truth Or Consequences. When it was delivered to Desilu, Cahn called it a “monster” because it wouldn’t fit into the editing room so...
- 11/26/2012
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
William Asher, who directed episodes of such classic TV shows as I Love Lucy and Bewitched, died Monday at a board and care facility in Palm Desert, Calif., according to the Desert Sun. He was 90. Asher, who lived in La Quinta and Indian Wells since retiring in 1991, reportedly died with his wife, Meredith, by his side. No cause of death was given. Photos: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2012 Asher's association with Lucy stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz began when he directed the pilot of Eve Arden's Our Miss Brooks for their Desilu Studios. That job led to his
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- 7/17/2012
- by Kimberly Nordyke
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
William Asher, the prolific writer-director of such groundbreaking TV sitcoms as I Love Lucy, Bewitched, Gidget and Our Miss Brooks, died today in Palm Springs, according to local reports. He was 90. Asher’s first gig in the beginning days of TV was adapting his short stories for the anthology series Invitation Playhouse, which he also directed. In the early 1950s, CBS asked him to shoot a pilot starring movie actress Eve Arden that became Our Miss Brooks. (When the network came calling for the gig, according to Asher in a later interview, he asked, “What did a television director do”?) He soon was hired to try his hand on another sitcom that was struggling in its first season, I Love Lucy. He went on to direct more than 100 episodes of the series. He eventually worked with pretty much every TV legend-to-be there was from Danny Thomas to Dinah Shore to Sally Field,...
- 7/17/2012
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
John Rich, a prolific television comedy director and a key figure in the history of the Directors Guild of America, died of heart failure Sunday morning in Los Angeles. He was 86. Rich, who began his career directing early 1950s sitcoms like I Married Joan, starring Joan Davis, and Our Miss Brooks, starring Eve Arden, went on to helm 81 episodes of All in the Family in the 1970s. He won two Emmys, one for directing and one for producing, on that series, plus a third Emmy for directing The Dick Van Dyke Show. In addition to presenting him with
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- 1/29/2012
- by Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actor Richard Crenna, the Emmy Award-winning television actor who also made a name for himself in movies as Sylvester Stallone's commanding officer in the Rambo films, died Friday of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles; he was 76. Crenna started his career in radio and television, appearing on the Burns And Allen radio show and later in two popular TV series, Our Miss Brooks and The Real McCoys. Crenna began pursuing a film career in the mid-`60s, appearing in The Sand Pebbles, Marooned and Wait Until Dark. After toiling in B-movies throughout the `70s, he made a resurgence with 1981's Body Heat, playing the duped husband of Kathleen Turner, and appeared a year later as Col. Samuel Trautman in First Blood, playing mentor to Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo, returning for the two hugely successful Rambo sequels. He also appeared in 1984's The Flamingo Kid, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination, and spoofed his Rambo character in 1993's Hot Shots! Part Deux. Crenna continued working in television through the 90s, most recently appearing in the drama Judging Amy opposite Tyne Daly. Crenna is survived by his wife, Penni, and three children. --Prepared by IMDb staff...
- 1/20/2003
- WENN
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